Proposal for a Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council introducing a simplified regime for the control of persons at the external borders based on the unilateral recognition by Croatia and Cyprus of certain documents as equivalent to their national visas for transit through or intended stays on their territories not exceeding 90 days in any 180-day period and repealing Decision No 895/2006/EC and Decision No 582/2008/EC of the European Parliament and the Council

On 1 July 2013 Croatia will accede to the European Union. For Croatia, as for the previous 2004 and 2007 enlargements, the so-called "Schengen two-phase implementation process" has been followed in matters related to the Schengen acquis. This implies that Croatia, as previous accession countries, has to apply, from the date of accession, the provisions of Regulation (EC) 539/2001 and thus to subject third-country nationals listed in its Annex I to a visa requirement.

Croatia, as the countries who acceded to the European Union in 2004 and 2007, has this obligation even if the persons concerned hold a uniform visa, a long-stay visa or a residence permit issued by a Schengen Member State, as other Schengen provisions will not apply to Croatia from the date of its accession. In addition, the national visas issued by other EU Member States, who are not Schengen Member States yet (Cyprus), are also not valid for the territory of Croatia.

The current proposal repeals Decisions No 895/2006/EC and No 582/2008/EC. With regard to those Member States to whom these decisions were addressed who have meanwhile become Schengen Member States (all but Cyprus), these Decisions have become obsolete.

The current proposal foresees that Cyprus, like Croatia, is authorised to recognise visas and residence permits by the countries associated with the implementation, application and development of the Schengen acquis. This regime will be applicable until the end of the transitional period and the full participation of the Member States concerned in the area without internal borders, the date from which the mutual recognition of such documents becomes compulsory under Articles 18 and 21 of the Schengen Implementing Convention, Article 5(2) of the Schengen Borders Code and the Visa Code.

EUR-Lex: COM(2013)441: Follow the progress of this proposal through the decision-making procedure http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/HIS/?uri=COM:2013:441:FIN

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